If you’d like to support the health of your heart, cardiologists recommend drinking alcohol in moderation. Consuming more than two alcoholic beverages per day for men and one for women can increase your heart disease risk.

Alcohol’s Effect on Your Heart Heavy drinking can lead to a broad range of health problems that can include peptic ulcers, liver disease, and cancer. Your heart can also suffer when you consume excessive alcohol. Binge drinking, for example, can cause heart arrhythmias. Also, regularly drinking more than one or two drinks per day can cause alcoholic cardiomyopathy, a type of heart disease characterized by weakened and thinned heart muscle that affects the heart’s ability to pump blood. To understand what is considered moderate drinking, the American Heart Association defines one drink as 4 oz. of wine, a 12 oz. beer, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof liquors, and 1 oz. of 100-proof liquors.

If You Already Have Heart Disease For some individuals, drinking alcohol even in moderation can be dangerous. If you have high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, irregular heart rhythm, or have suffered heart failure, talk to your doctor to learn if you should avoid alcohol entirely.

Red Wine and Heart Disease In recent decades, a number of studies have been published that indicate a possible link between drinking red wine and reduced heart disease-related mortalities in some populations. Many people are quick to adopt this premise as fact, but no studies have shown a direct relationship between the effects of drinking red wine and a reduced risk of developing heart disease. Some researchers point to antioxidants from the skin of red grapes as the source of red wine’s positive effect on HDL cholesterol, but factors such as lifestyle, exercise, and healthy food choices may also contribute to these results.

After undergoing treatment for a heart attack, many patients can quickly return to their normal schedule. In the days immediately following your treatment, however, your cardiologist may advise a restriction on particular activities to avoid straining your heart.

It’s common for patients to worry about their heart condition after a heart attack, and frequently have questions about activities that are safe. Sex is a healthy part of a relationship and is an activity that causes less heart strain than you may think. If you’re wondering if you should have sex after a heart attack, talk to your doctor. He may advise exercise testing to determine what activity level is safe for you.

Cardiac Solutions has four convenient locations in the West Valley area and provides cutting edge treatments for heart disease in Phoenix . To learn more about our heart condition clinics or to schedule an appointment with one of our cardiologists, call us today at (623) 876-8816.